5 Tips For Successful Local SEO
Local search engine optimization can be difficult. On top of dealing with the average SEO techniques, the marketer also has to add a layer of complex optimization activities. Here are 5 tips for the marketer to follow in order to succeed in local SEO and gain local search traffic.
1. Online Listings Must Be Consistent and Accurate
A marketer must begin by providing information about the name, address and phone number of the brand. These are the most important aspects of local SEO because these are how most businesses gain their customers. If there are discrepancies between the information that is provided across the web for a specific brand, then the brand is less likely to gain customers and less likely to succeed in local search rankings. Local search engines use accuracy of the brand’s information to validate a business and register the business. This is also true for consistency. Making sure that a brand’s information is consistent across directories, listings and citations will help improve search engine ranking.
2. Provide Extensive Info in Directory Listings
This goes past the inclusion of the name, address and phone number of the business. Including things such as the hours of operation, website, prices, and general product reviews will allow your customers to have as much information they need in order to make their buyer’s decision. This empowers the customer, and helps isolate your business from others that do not provide as much information.
3. Don’t Neglect Social Media
Social media is an important aspect of SEO. Customers are beginning to use social media pages such as Google+ Pages and Facebook Pages in place of the business’ website. When creating social media pages, it is of utmost importance to include an extensive list of the business’s information.
4. Reviews Should Come Naturally, Not Forcefully
Reviews are very important for local search optimization and should be the top priority of marketers in local SEO. Google and other search engines deliver local results that are businesses with high reviews. Motivate customers to give reviews by providing them with incentives, or by simply reminding them to leave a review. Never bombard customers with an overwhelming amounts of request, but make sure you are letting your customers know that reviews are appreciated. Also remember that it is the quality of the reviews that matters, not the quantity.
5. Hyperlocal Search Optimization
Local neighborhoods are informal spaces that are determined by the locals in that area. Since locals can have a different name for an area that is not on a formal map, Google is in the process of testing the “neighborhood algorithm” which tries to alleviate this problem. Brands and businesses can try and optimize for this problem as well by using neighborhood terminology in all of their listings, to target the informal spaces around your business. The marketer can do this by adding the neighborhood name at the end of the brand name on social media pages, add the neighborhood name in the text and title tags of your website and using Google MapMakers to make sure that Google Maps has the neighborhood correctly defined.
Local businesses depend on local SEO, so it is necessary to continue to add new methods to your marketing strategy to increase your chances of success. Use these 5 tips and find success in local SEO.
